1. Field of the Invention
This invention has to do with disk drive suspensions, and more particularly with limiters useful to limit undue travel of the suspension in the disk drive. Specifically, the invention is concerned with improvements in limiters to better retain engagement of the limiter with the suspension.
2. Related Art
Limiters are mechanical structures that limit the travel the tongue portion of the flexure makes relative to the load beam surrounding the flexure. Limitation of movement prevents damage to the flexure and thus to the suspension. Movement limitation is need both during lift-off of the suspension from the disk and during shock events such as sharp blows to the computer affecting the disk drive. Limiters are known to be positioned at the flexure tip and at the flexure tongue tip. The present invention is concerned with improvements in the flexure tongue tip type of limiter. In practice this type of limiter, which uses a specially shaped tongue tip to overlie the adjacent load beam portion, the limiter can slip past the opposing load beam surface and disengage if the contact is less than perfect as to angle and position inward on the load beam edge margin. The movement limitation intended is then lost.